Maribel Hastings
Posted March 19 2026
If there were any doubts that Kristi Noem’s departure from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) would not change the Donald Trump administration’s extremist immigration policy, one need only refer to this statement by his spokesperson, Karoline Leavitt: “President Trump’s immigration agenda is keeping our border secure and deporting illegal alien criminals from our country, and it will continue without interruption.”
Furthermore, presidential adviser Stephen Miller still oversees immigration, and Noem’s successor, Oklahoma Republican Senator Markwayne Mullin, is another Trump rubber stamp, defending the president’s anti-immigrant positions.
Meanwhile, Axios reported that in a closed-door meeting, White House Deputy Chief of Staff James Blair asked House Republicans to stop emphasizing “mass deportations” and talk about deporting violent criminals instead. This shift in language highlights the administration’s attempt to reframe public perception.
Trump’s mass deportation crusade, a 2024 campaign promise, may now cost Republicans Congress in 2026, along with other reasons. The White House thinks changing language can obscure the underlying violence of its immigration approach, but the substance of policy remains unchanged.
The use of racial profiling and abuses, even against citizens, has had a chilling effect on the population, as anyone can be detained. This fear is reflected in the polls.
Mullin is not yet confirmed, and there have already been 11 ICE custody deaths this year, according to Reuters. Last year, the record was 31 deaths.
Trump and his advisers know that the excesses of his immigration policy, especially the particularly vicious actions in Minneapolis, Minnesota, where immigration agents killed two U.S. citizens in separate incidents, have significantly undermined support for his strategy and are reflected in the polls. Sixty percent of Americans have an unfavorable view of ICE.
Trump enjoyed support because he said he would remove criminals from the country, but an estimated 86% of those detained have no history of violent crime. And the use of racial profiling and abuses, even against citizens, has had a chilling effect on the population, as anyone can be detained. This fear is reflected in the polls.
Considering public dissatisfaction with the economy, high food costs, the lack of affordable housing, and soaring health insurance premiums for millions, it is clear there may be a political price to pay at the polls on November 3.
There are also the consequences of the war against Iran, such as rising fuel prices. This war was not authorized by Congress, has claimed the lives of thirteen U.S. soldiers so far, and costs $1 billion a day in military operations alone.
The Big Beautiful Bill of 2025 contemplates cuts to Medicaid, food assistance, and eliminates subsidies to pay for Obamacare premiums, but the government has $1 billion a day for the war in Iran.
The same 2025 law allocates $45 billion to expand ICE detention centers, with DHS paying above appraised property values. Even in red-leaning districts and states, residents oppose opening these centers.
Additionally, Trump’s anti-immigrant crusade impacts the economy, as deportations mean fewer consumers and workers for businesses and various industries. Even immigrants who remain avoid spending money out of fear of detention, slowing economic growth.
Despite economic evidence, this administration’s racism and prejudice make it disregard the economic benefits immigrants bring.
Miller argues that immigrants are a fiscal burden who take jobs from Americans, disregarding contrary studies.
In contrast, a CATO Institute study finds immigrants create wealth and redistribute it to Americans. The study finds immigrants reduced U.S. debt by nearly a third, or $14.5 trillion, from 1994 to 2023.
As tax day approaches, April 15, note these figures from the Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy (ITEP): “Undocumented immigrants paid $96.7 billion in federal, state, and local taxes in 2022. Most of that amount, $59.4 billion, was paid to the federal government while the remaining $37.3 billion was paid to state and local governments.”
They say that those who sow the wind reap the whirlwind, and now, months before the elections, the White House wants to whitewash its violent immigration record.
Maribel Hastings is a Senior Advisor to América’s Voice.
